Therapies which may benefit Glue Ear

Glue ear, or otitis media, is an inflammation of the ear drum which is
usually associated with a build up of fluid in the middle ear space
behind the ear drum.

Causes of glue ear

Glue ear is the most common cause of hearing problems in children
and occurs when fluid builds up in the middle ear. The middle ear is
located behind the eardrum and has three tiny bones that carry sound to
the inner ear. It is connected to the back of the nose by the
Eustachian tube which remains closed unless yawning or swallowing.
Fluid which builds up in the middle ear is drained by the Eustachian
tube.

Glue ear occurs when this tube becomes blocked but why this happens
are still unclear. Many experts believe viral and bacterial infections
are the cause although this hasn't been proved. Studies have shown that
the risk of glue ear in children increases if:

They are a boy

They're exposed to passive smoking

They were fed by bottle as a baby

They have a sibling with the same condition

Cases of glue ear increase after a cold or flu and some evidence points to allergies as a potential cause of the condition.

Symptoms of glue ear

Impaired hearing is the main symptom of glue ear and is usually very
mild. In some cases, hearing loss is more severe and can result in
complete deafness. The level at which hearing is impaired will depend
on whether one or both ears have been affected and how thick the fluid
in the ear is.

Glue ear in babies and toddlers is often difficult to detect and
parents may not be aware anything is wrong. Glue ear can contribute to
other difficulties which may help with identifying the condition.

These include:

Speech or language problems

Difficulty with social interaction

Balance problems

Clumsiness

Increasing the volume on the TV or radio

Frequently saying “pardon?” or “what?”

Reduced response to sounds

Disobeying verbal instructions ('selective hearing')

Earache

If earache is accompanied by a fever and pain then an infection may have developed and you seek medical attention.

Diagnosis of glue ear

A routine hearing
test at the GP will often be sufficient to diagnose glue ear. The GP
will first check for any blockages or excessive ear wax which may be
the problem. The doctor will then examine the eardrum using an otoscope
in the ear canal. If the Eustachian tube is blocked,a vacuum develops causing the eardrum to be sucked in.

Other signs of glue
ear include a lack of vibration of the eardrum, visible fluid or
bubbles and a yellowing of the eardrum. If glue ear is diagnosed, your
GP will refer your child to a hearing specialist to confirm diagnosis
and test for hearing loss.

A hearing specialist
(known as an audiologist) will use some simple tests. These are usually
an audiogram, a tympanometry test or a McCormick toy test.

Audiogram – An
audiometer emits different sound frequencies at varying levels which
your child will have to acknowledge when they hear a sound.

Tympanometry –
In this test, a device is placed into the ear causing a change to air
pressure which results in movement to the eardrum. The results are then
recorded on a tympanogram.

McCormick toy test -Typically
used on younger children, this test involves a healthcare professional
whispering the name of an object (usually a toy, hence the name) in the
child's ear which the child has to point to as a way of indicating they
can hear the word being spoken.